


Maturation

by bramblePatch



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Butterfly Monstrosity, Multi, Transformation, Wingfic, Xenobiology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-19
Updated: 2011-09-19
Packaged: 2017-10-23 21:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/255034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bramblePatch/pseuds/bramblePatch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are signs of his coming maturation, not that anyone recognizes them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Puberty

**Author's Note:**

> Another piece I did for the kink meme a while back. Prompt involved Karkat being a genetic throwback to an ancestral lowblooded troll race, who is "going to actualize his genetic heritage, go through horrible alien puberty, steal all the printer paper, build himself a paperwasp nest using his saliva, and pupate (again) into a glorious psionic butterfly monstrosity."

The first sign, only Karkat notices.

In the high spirits of having finally finished not one but _both_ games, the confusion of trying to work out who's alive and who's dead and who, of those somewhere in between, is likely to slip in one direction or the other, it seems perfectly normal for Karkat to be irritable and distracted. He doesn't tell anyone about the low key chatter that seems to press in around the edges of his mind, because this has got to be the stupidest time possible to lose his mind.

Anyway, once they devise a reliable way of producing enough sopor slime to stock proper recupracoons, the whispers fade back into the mental static that he realizes has been there all along.

So that's ok, then.

 

The second sign, John notices.

At meal time, Karkat begins coming back for seconds, thirds even. This surprises John, as in the first few weeks that he'd known the troll, Karkat left his plate half-full as often as not. But it's not like they don't have enough grist left over to alchemize as much food as they need, and Jade is confident that her greenhouses will be supplementing that supply soon. Perhaps Karkat is finally adjusting to human food, John supposes; it had, after all, taken some of the other trolls a while to do so.

Anyway, John's always thought that Karkat was far too skinny, and with a habitual second serving of meatloaf, the troll is beginning to put on some weight.

So that's probably ok, then.

 

The third sign, Terezi notices.

It's subtle at first, and she isn't quite sure what she's smelling, but over the course of several days, it becomes clear that there's _something_ going on under his skin. His candy-red blood runs hot and fast, stronger than she's used to - and, perhaps more troubling, his veins seem to be shifting under his skin. She traces the new patterns thoughtfully with one finger, until he squirms out from under the tickling touch. He tries to push her away, and she leans in to distract him with a kiss.

Before he tells her to knock it off, though, she can't help but notice that the new currents of red below his skin seem to be converging between his shoulderblades.

So she's not sure what to think of that, then.


	2. Pupation

The fourth sign, everyone notices.

It's a little hard to miss when Karkat goes missing entirely - and harder still to miss when Jade stumbles across the cocoon and shrieks in surprise. Soon the entire group - the four humans and the six trolls besides Karkat - are gathered around in confusion. Dave's suspicious, thinks it's some new monster sent to kill them. Terezi is completely and totally sure that it's Karkat, although she can't say for sure why. Gamzee, once again high as a kite on sopor, is of the opinion that whatever it is, it's a miracle.

Vriska lifts hands to temples and peers intently at the papery construction for a moment, before reporting that something is interfering with her eightfold vision - but that from what she could see, all three of them may be right.

So that seems unlikely to be anything like ok, then.

 

The fifth sign... is not so much a sign, as a new reality.

The others have taken to leaving someone on watch at the cocoon, and Aradia is there when one side starts to shred. She sends a quick Trollian message to the others and then steps back to watch as Karkat tears his way out, slowly, taking time to work through the rock-hard paper composite of the cocoon's shell. The others arrive quickly; the other two gods skimming in on wings or breeze, and the rest of the group coming in close on their heels.

The cocoon cracks open suddenly, failing under the stress of the troll inside's efforts to escape - if troll he be - and Karkat stumbles out to the floor. There's no question of who it is, although he's taller, more angular, and the wings on his back make Vriska and Aradia's look like cheap imitations. John darts forward to catch him, support him, and Terezi's not far behind, touching and smelling and reassuring herself. Karkat looks from one to the other with newly compound eyes and grimaces.

"Get off of me, you saps," he says, but makes no move to match words with action. John all but bursts into tears as he practically drapes himself around his friend's neck, and Terezi is grinning unusually wide, even for her.

So that's ok, then.


End file.
